What is the best way to pay for things?

We have an upcoming trip to France and Italy. What is the best way to pay for things? Some hotels offer up to 10% off for cash, do I go to an ATM and get cash or a bank? Use credit cards? Buy euros ahed of time here.

Thanks

ET

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The answer to this question is best answered by your bank. Find out what you are paying for international credit card purchases and ATM withdrawals. There has been a great deal already written on this subject. A quick forum search can give you instant answers.

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For cash, the best rate is to get money from an ATM. Some banks have transaction fees involved while others don%26#39;t. If your bank charges a transaction fee, it is usually on a per transaction basis so try to get a larger chunk of money at once as repeated transactions add up the costs.

Use credit cards for other purchases. You lose maybe one to two percent but it shouldn%26#39;t be too significant. Remember if given a choice by the merchant whether you want to pay in USD or Euro, always choose the local currency (Euro) in this case. A charge in USD in a foreign country incurs additional exchange loss.

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